(A00-12)
This collection contains a variety of materials written by and relating to Jimmy Bedford, 1927-1990, graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism. The collection, donated by Mr. Bedford's brother Emmett, includes photocopies of newspaper articles written by Jimmy Bedford for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Many of these are travel columns as well as stories of local interest. The collection also contains a spiral-bound set of Christmas letters (1964-1989) written by Jimmy and compiled by his brother Emmett, complete with a short biography and funeral tributes from friends and colleagues.

Biographical Note:

Jimmy Bertch Bedford, also known as Pete in his younger years, was born June 10, 1927 in Columbia, Missouri. After graduating from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1950 with a degree in journalism, he worked for the Memphis Democrat in Memphis, Missouri. Later, he taught journalism at the University of Kansas, the University of Maryland, and the University of Afghanistan where he was a Fulbright scholar. Eventually his travels led him to the University of Alaska at Fairbanks where he joined the fledgling Journalism department in 1965. There he became Chair of the department and retired as Professor Emeritus in 1981. During his retirement, he wrote the weekly column "Journeys on the Planet Earth" for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner as well as undertaking other freelance writing and photography assignments.

Series Descriptions:

This Record Sub-Group is divided into three record series.

Series One consists of a spiral-bound edition of Jimmy Bedford's annual Christmas letters, compiled by Emmett Bedford in 1999. The work contains a short biography along with letters from Kabul, Afghanistan, Katmandu, Nepal and Fairbanks, Alaska (1964-1989). The volume also contains a guide to an exhibit of photographs, features, and graphics by Jimmy and his students at the University of Alaska at Fairbanks. There are also tributes from friends and colleagues, and a photo of Mr. Bedford's grave site.

Series Two includes newspaper columns entitled "Journeys on the Planet Earth" written by Jimmy Bedford for the Fairbanks Daily News-Minerfrom 1981-1986. The columns cover a wide variety of topics, ranging from local Alaskan history, to travels in such diverse places as Ethiopia, Afghanistan and Europe. A handwritten itemized list of the individual columns is located in the box.

Series Three contains a photocopy of the brief biography written by Bedford's brother Emmett after Jimmy's death, as well as copies of newspaper articles and photos concerning the life and work of this distinguished alumnus.Note to Researcher: A handwritten inventory of the newspaper columns in "Journeys on the Planet Earth" is also contained in the collection.

FF 9 - A Biography of Jimmy Bedford written by his brother Emmett Bedford. Also included are copies of columns written by Bedford and photographs documenting Bedford's life.

Restrictions Note: The Archives of the University of Missouri-Columbia is required by law and Board of Curator's policy to restrict access to some files and information. Student records are held as confidential under the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 and by University policy. Faculty promotion and tenure records and Academic Personnel files are restricted for 75 years, or the lifetime of the individual. All grievance, disciplinary, and medical records are treated as confidential files. Consultations with legal counsel, both in-house and external, are protected by the attorney/client privilege and will not be released.